Terminal connecter for batteries



I. e. LARSON TERMINAL CONNECTER FOR BATTERIES Filed Oct. 26, 1927 Patented Mar. 31, 1936 UNITED STATES TERMINAL CONNECTER FOR BATTERIES Ivar G. Larson, Chicago, 111., assignor, by direct and mesne assignments, to Richard L. Parish,

Chicago, Ill.

Application October 26, 1927, Serial No. 228,833

3 Claims.

My invention relates tobattery terminals and more particularly to a connecter for connecting the projecting stud or terminal of a storage battery to a conductor so as to protect the conductor from corrosion by the acid in the battery.

It is a purpose of this invention to provide a connecter of this character preferably of noncorrosive metal which can be adapted to diiferent sizes of battery terminals and which can be made to grip any of them in such a manner as to give a good contact or electrical connection.

Another purpose of this invention is to provide in connection with the means for adjusting the terminal gripping device a means forv protecting the adjustment from the action of the acid in the battery.

Another purpose of the invention is to provide means on the connecter for preventing the advance of the acid upwardly along the terminal of the battery above a certain point which is below the top of the connecter. This is done by providing, in the clamping ring which engages the terminal, a groove which may be filled with some acid resisting substance such as hard oil.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear as the description proceeds when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing. However, I wish it to be distinctly understood that I do not intend to limit myself. to the exact details shown and described, but that I intend to avail myself of all such modifications as would occur to one skilled in this art and as fall within the scope of the claims.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a top view of a portion of the battery showing my improved connecter partly in section;

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Referring now in detail to the drawing, the numeral 5 represents the top of a storage battery of the ordinary type which storage battery has the upstanding lug or terminal 6 thereon usually constructed of lead or a similar acid resisting metal. My improved connector consists of a body 1 having a tubular portion 8 projecting laterally therefrom a sufiicient distance to extend beyond the edge of the battery so as to protect the conductor 9 which is secured therein from the acid fumes arising from the battery. The body portion of the connecter is preferably made of. an acid resisting metal so that it will not corrode in continuous use.

Integral with the body portion 1 is a clamping ring lflhavingthe projecting end I .l spaced somewhat from the body portion 1 to permit adjusting of the clamping ring to fit different size battery terminals. This adjustment is made by means of the screw threaded bolt l2 adapted to 5 engage the screw threaded aperture l3 in the end II which bolt is rotatable but non-slidably mounted within the body portion 1. The rotatable and non-slidable bolt is also particularly. useful in removing the connecter from a battery 10 terminal. Upon rotation of the bolt to release the clamping ring it spreads the ring so as to break it loose from the battery terminal. This of course makes it easy to remove the connecter without injuring the battery terminal.

This mounting is accomplished by providing a pair of spaced collars or annular enlarged portions l4 and I5 on the bolt fitting within the enlarged bore it of the body I and a staple I'l shown more clearly in Fig. 3 passing through openings provided in the body portion 7 between the collars l4 and I5 and firmly holding the bolt l2 against endwise movement within the body 1. This bolt may be made of the ordinary steel or iron used for this purpose and, in order to pre- 5 vent its being attacked by the acid, a well I8 is provided by extending the bore l6 substantially full depth of the body 1. This well I8 is then filled with an acid resisting material such for instance as hard oil which, when the bolt is inserted in place within the body, will become spread into the threads of the bolt so as to prevent the acid from attacking it and the supply remaining in the chamber l8 will continue to protect the bolt against the action of the acid for a considerable time.

In order to assure against the corrosion interfering with the contact between the battery terminal and the connecter, I provide the clamping ring H] with an internal groove 20 shown more clearly in Fig. 2 which groove is also filled with an acid resisting material such as hard oil that will not melt and run out at ordinary temperatures. Also, as shown in Fig. 2, the inner surfaces 2| and 22 of the clamping ring taper considerably toward the edges of the groove 20 and these edges are preferably made sharp and clean cut so that when the clamping rings tighten on the battery terminals, they will cut into and form a perfect contact with the terminal.

The acid is prevented from creeping up past the groove 20 by the hard oil therein so that there is very little likelihood of the connection at the upper edge of this groove becoming faulty due to corrosion and this assures a permanent 55 good contact from the terminal to the connecter. Also, since the projection 8 on the body 1 is elongated suflicient to extend out beyond the battery wall, a conductor itself does not come within the range of the acid fumes to any great extent and a good connection is maintained at this point. From the above description it is thought that the construction and advantages of this device will be clear to those skilled in this art and having thus described my invention what I desire to claim and secure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. A terminal connecter for batteries comprising a body portion having means projecting therefrom to which a conductor may be secured, a clamping ring integral with said body portion, and means for adjusting said ring to causeit to grip or release a battery terminal, said ring having an annular groove in the inner surface thereof for receiving an acid resisting substance. I

2. A terminal connecter for batteries comprising a body portion having means projecting therefrom to which a conductor may be secured, a clamping ring integral with said body portion, and means for adjusting said ring to cause it to grip or release a battery terminal, said ring having an annular groove in the inner surface there- 5 of for receiving an acid resisting substance, and sharp edges 'on opposite sides of said groove adapted to cut into the battery terminal.

3. A terminal connecter comprising a split ring each end of which has a cylindrical clamping 10 1 and spreading bolt receiving passage therethrough, a clamping and spreading bolt extending through said passages and having threaded engagement with one of them, and interfitting formations carried by the bolt and ring respec- 5 tively, comprising a groove on one and means on the other engaging in said groove, said formations being wholly housed by the last named passage and holding the bolt against longitudinal movement therein while permitting rotation of 2 the bolt.

IVAR G. LARSON. 

